The series of 5 talks from this retreat explore a central feature of Dharma practice and teachings: How we get uptight and reactive (Upadana / Clinging) around our experience, and the transformational possibility of letting go. The talks cover the Buddhas teachings on the 3 main realms of experience that we cling most tightly to, as well as exploring and pointing towards the nature of the heart that is free from clinging. Starting with the existential, progressing towards the personal, this fourth talk explores the Buddhas teachings on the third realm of clinging - to existence and non-existence. Martin explores what we identify with - as well as what we dont, and our limited capacity to only conceive in terms of is or isnt, exists or doesnt, while pointing to a way of meeting life that isnt constrained by this reductive dichotomy.

The series of 5 talks from this retreat explore a central feature of Dharma practice and teachings: How we get uptight and reactive (Upadana / Clinging) around our experience, and the transformational possibility of letting go. The talks cover the Buddhas teachings on the 3 main realms of experience that we cling most tightly to, as well as exploring and pointing towards the nature of the heart that is free from clinging. This third talk explores how our ideas, beliefs and opinions obscure our true knowing of reality. Martin progresses through our views about life itself, unconsciously conditioned by both scientific and religious cultural myths, our views about and in relation to others, and our painful, evaluating views of ourselves. The encouragement is to examine our beliefs so as to make them transparent, to see life clearly, to recognize its freely unfolding process that cannot be defined by mere idea or view.

The Buddha says:
There are 4 ways of undertaking things.
There is a way undertaking things that is pleasant now and ripens in the future as pain.
There is a way undertaking things that is painful now and ripens in the future as pain.
There is a way undertaking things that is painful now and ripens in the furter as pleasure.
There is a way undertaking things that is pleansont now and ripens in the future as pleasure.

The series of 5 talks from this retreat explore a central feature of Dharma practice and teachings: How we get uptight and reactive (Upadana / Clinging) around our experience, and the transformational possibility of letting go. The talks cover the Buddhas teachings on the 3 main realms of experience that we cling most tightly to, as well as exploring and pointing towards the nature of the heart that is free from clinging. This second talk explores the powerful force of wanting, and how to meet, explore and understand our clinging to desire. Martin encourages us to inhabit the movement of wanting more fully, leaving aside the objects of our desire in order to be more fully with the wanting itself. Offering three different ways for working with desire, we are pointed towards a freedom from both the obsessing about what we want, and from its opposite; the denying the dynamism and depth at the heart of our longing.

Guided by several key teachings, particularly how we might bring together wisdom, compassion, and courage, we explore some of the issues raised in reflection on the last ten years. A focus is the parallel between personal practice and responding to larger social issues.

Learning to bring a mindful presence to fear is an intrinsic part of spiritual awakening. In this talk we look at the ways we get caught in the trance of fear, and how the two wings of presence--clear recognition and openheartedness--can free us. This process of facing unmet fears is necessary not only for our own healing, but for any possibility of peace and the healing of our planet.